Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
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AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON AN ELECTROCHEMICAL REDUCTION OF AN OXIDE MIXTURE IN THE ADVANCED SPENT-FUEL CONDITIONING PROCESS

  • Jeong, Sang-Mun (Nuclear Fuel Cycle Development Group, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Park, Byung-Heung (Nuclear Fuel Cycle Development Group, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Hur, Jin-Mok (Nuclear Fuel Cycle Development Group, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Seo, Chung-Seok (Nuclear Fuel Cycle Development Group, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Lee, Han-Soo (Nuclear Fuel Cycle Development Group, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Song, Kee-Chan (Nuclear Fuel Cycle Development Group, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute)
  • Received : 2009.05.26
  • Accepted : 2010.03.09
  • Published : 2010.04.30
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Abstract

An electrochemical reduction of a mixture of metal oxides was conducted in a LiCl molten salt containing 3 wt% $Li_2O$ at $650^{\circ}C$. The oxide reduction was carried out by applying a current to an electrolysis cell, and the $Li_2O$ concentration was analyzed during each run. The concentration of $Li_2O$ in the electrolyte bulk phase gradually decreases according to Faraday's law due to a slow diffusion of the $O^{2-}$ ions. A hindrance effect of the unreduced metal oxides was observed for the reduction of the uranium oxide. Cs, Sr, and Ba of high heat-load fission products were diffused into and accumulated in the salt phase as predicted with thermodynamic consideration.

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References

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